


Monsters in the Dark

by Frozenleaf



Category: Tales of Graces
Genre: Gen, Post-Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 18:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16373051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frozenleaf/pseuds/Frozenleaf
Summary: Richard thought he could handle being a king, despite everything he did. But a failed assassination attempt on his life brings him to Lhant for guidance. Unfortunately all he found was Lambda.





	1. Chapter 1

Lhant was a land that thrived with life. Eleth flowed constantly into its cryas mines and farms, and from there into the rivers and the land itself. Flowers bloomed along the roadside, and birdsong filled the air. If he had glanced outside, King Richard of Windor would have seen happy cows grazing in the fields.

But the scene did little to calm his troubled heart. Few things did, nowadays.

The king frowned, his fingers tapping out a rhythm against the sword he wore on his waist. If he seemed a bit paranoid, it was not without reason.

Impulse had brought him here. When he last spoke to his advisor, Dalen had encouraged the young king to leave on this sudden excursion, worry reflecting in his eyes.

He had every right to be worried, Richard thought with a glum smile.

* * *

 

It happened three nights ago.

He was exhausted. Alone in his room, Richard had been preparing for bed. Sleep felt like the only respite from one thankless day after another. Ruling Windor was his duty; but also his burden.

That day, he had argued with his nobility over money. It wasn't right to ask his subjects to shoulder his burden, but he had no other choice. Much of his country's wealth was funneled towards reparations to Strahta and Fendel, and what little remained was just enough to keep the country functioning. He needed to pay his soldiers, assure traders, maintain the roads... And even if nobody said so, the blame lay squarely on his shoulders.

He heard their resentment whispered through the servants, saw the discontent on their faces. Wherever he went, the sensation of wary eyes followed him.

Often, Richard wondered whether he should ever have been king. Wondered whether perhaps, corrupt and evil as he might have been, Cedric would not be leading his country to ruin.

The troubled thoughts and constant arguments were just too much to deal with, day after day. He sighed and let his body sag against the cold, stone wall.

But his brief reprieve was interrupted by the shuffle of footsteps by the curtain; the sound of a blade being drawn.

Richard reacted on instinct. He drew his sword- just in time to catch his attacker's blade.

"Traitor!"

Richard froze. The assassin, seizing his chance, struck at him again.

He barely managed to parry. Unprepared, it was all he could do to hold his ground.

The assassin lashed out with a kick, sending him crashing against the wall. When he looked up, he saw the assassin's face, mere inches from his own. His figure was gaunt. Light brown hair framed gray eyes- shadowed, in contrast to the paleness of his skin. His assassin looked younger than he, but the sunken cheeks and hollowed eyes betrayed a life of hardship and sadness.

"What happened to you?" Richard managed to gasp out.

"A monster," the assassin spat. "You!"

Richard flinched. Something familiar ran through him- the bloodlust, the anger and hatred, the desire to be alone- to be free-

He swallowed.

"I have done all I can-"

"Have you?!" The assassin's wild eyed frenzy didn't let up. "Our people died, and yet you live! You- you don't deserve to live!"

The words echoed. The memory of his uncle, of the countless attempts on his life...

_He would never be free._

A vile surge of rage ran through him. With a twist, he disengaged their weapons. Pivoting, he slammed his free hand into his assailant's gut. The assassin cried out, and his weapon clattered to the floor.

With rapid breaths, Richard pressed his blade against the assassin's neck. There was a pounding in his ears that drowned out his thoughts, made it far too easy to focus on the rage. Just like when he killed his uncle.

The assassin stared back at him, wide-eyed.

Richard lifted his blade, drew his arm back-

"Your Majesty!" Someone burst into the room. The pounding of metal boots shook him out of his stupor.

He blinked. The pressure thrumming through his veins abated, and when he looked again- he choked. His hands were clammy with sweat, and a sick feeling twisted its way into his gut. He staggered back, but he couldn't draw his eyes away.

Couldn't avoid the fear in his assassin's eyes.

Richard's hands trembled. He heard Dalen's voice calling him, but it sounded distant in his ears. It wasn't until the man shook him that Richard turned to him.

"Your Majesty?" His advisor frowned. "Are you unhurt?"

He tried to speak, but the words would not come. It was all he could do to nod.

Dalen straightened and turned his attention to the assassin. "Take him away," he commanded.

Guards moved to pick up the fallen assassin where he lay. He didn't struggle. But even as his assailant was clapped in chains and led away, Richard couldn't move. With the adrenaline of the moment gone, he looked far too small for the dark, baggy clothes he wore. He was- just a boy.

Bile pushed up against his tongue. All he could do was to press a knuckled fist against his lips.

"What should we do with him, your majesty?" Dalen asked.

The question sounded ridiculous, in his ears. After all, just moments ago, Richard had wanted him to  _die_.

The king shuddered. That was the old him. The person who had never answered for any of his previous sins. Richard thought he had buried and locked him away, far too deep for him to resurface. He had hoped a life of atonement- of fake smiles and forced positivity- would be enough. But even though he could play the part, he couldn't fool himself.

He was no king- just a farce.

With a deep breath, he gave Dalen the calmest look he could muster. "I need to visit Asbel," Richard said.

* * *

 

The carriage jerked to a stop, disrupting his thoughts. Richard took in a deep breath, getting his bearing together before he left the dour carriage. The scent of flowers floated through the air, and a smile tugged at his lips.

Lhant Manor was less than a quarter the size of Barona Castle, but it was always more welcoming than the drafty stone rooms he grew up in. An air of warmth pervaded the manor, one that he had sorely missed back home.

But he couldn't be distracted by that comfort now. He had come here out of duty. Asbel had once set him on his new path with the reassurance that everything would be okay. His friend had always made things right, time and time again. Perhaps he was the only one who could save him now, too. To advise him on how to proceed.

With a sharp inhale of breath, Richard knocked on the door. He had expected Frederic. Sophie, maybe, or one of the many servants of Lhant Manor. Perhaps even the man he had hoped to see, himself.

The door opened a crack, and then his gaze to dropped to the height of a child.

A pale-looking humanoid in flowing white robes glanced at him. Recognition flashed in the depths of those blood red eyes.

Richard's throat tightened, his hand latching on to his sword instinctively. But the child that stood before him was not a dangerous assassin. He was once his closest friend... and his worst enemy.

With the barest inflection of surprise, Lambda whispered in a soft, child-like voice, "What are you doing here?"


	2. Chapter 2

Richard was surprised to see Lambda. In a body of his own. In front of him.

Of course, Asbel had written to him about how Pascal had showed up out of the blue with a humanoid hull that she had created. According to his friend, it was a response to some challenge or other. It had taken months, but he had managed to persuade a reluctant Lambda to accept his new body. Ever since then, the creature had lived with them, adjusting to life in Lhant.

But the Lambda before him was like a stranger. He was short, for one, and he looked... human. Like a small child. Not the monster that had wanted to destroy the entire world.

The last time they had spoken, Lambda had sounded different from what he was used to. Calmer- not angry or scared any longer. Back then, he had promised to repay his debt to the man who had saved him.

A man that had saved Richard as well.

"I came to see Asbel," he managed, trying to inject some warmth into his voice with a smile.

Lambda shifted uneasily, a small frown creasing his brow. But before he could reply, someone called out from behind him, "Lambda, who is it?"

"King Richard." The voice which came from the humanoid's lips was soft and child-like- not Lambda at all.

But the initial surprise at seeing him was incomparable to the consternation that came with the use of his title. Lambda had never needed titles; not with him.

Lambda's wary eyes never left his face, even as the door was flung open.

"Your Majesty." The person who greeted him was Frederic, the Lhants' manservant. The elderly gentleman dipped in a bow, then straightened- all poise. It all seemed normal; save for the suspicious humanoid, peering out from behind Frederic's legs. "I regret to inform you that Lord Asbel is currently out, but you are always more than welcome here. I'll have someone tend to your entourage. Please, come in."

Richard frowned, even as Frederic ushered him inside. Some part of him had assumed that Asbel would be at home. Still, it was a little too late for second thoughts.

Almost as soon as he stepped in, the warmth of the nearby fire brushed away the chill that had clung to him. The scent of earth and flowers pervaded the little country manor, sparking nostalgic memories from a time long ago.

 _So this is what Windor truly looks like,_ he remembered thinking once, when he passed through these doors as a child. But unlike that time, there was no loud-mouthed red-headed child demanding his attention. "How long will Asbel be out?" he asked.

To his surprise, Lambda stiffened at the question. He hadn't been the only one to notice- Frederic arched an eyebrow at the humanoid. Yet, instead of addressing Lambda's nervousness, the manservant replied, "I can't really say. You just missed him. He and Sophie left yesterday when monsters came down from the Fendel lowlands. There have been reports that they are attacking the roads in Lhant. Very vicious, or so the reports say. Naturally, Lord Asbel decided he had to deal with the situation himself."

 _Typical Asbel,_ Richard thought. Still, "Monsters?" Few monsters would pose much of a threat to his friends, no matter how vicious they were.

"Well, yes, I suppose they should be home soon," Frederic replied with a knowing smile.

"I apologize for the lack of warning," Richard replied. It was just his luck, but it wasn't as if he couldn't wait. The assassin was captive in Barona, and Dalen was more than capable of handling the day-to-day affairs of Windor- for a while, at least.

"Not at all, your Majesty." Frederic's laugh was bright. "I meant no jest when I said you were always welcome here."

Richard smiled. "Thank you then, Frederic," he answered. "And you as well-" He turned to Lambda, only to find the spot where the humanoid had been empty.

Seeing Richard's look of consternation, Frederic gave a weary sigh. "He does that, sometimes." The old manservant shook his head, then gestured down the hallway. "Come, your Majesty. I'm sure it's been exhausting. What say you to some warm tea and snacks?"

"That sounds lovely."

The manservant bowed low, then gestured down the halls. As Richard followed him, he felt the tension leave his muscles, and his thoughts drifted to lighter things: company, dinner, peace.

Yet, even here, he couldn't shake the tight feeling in his gut.

* * *

 As it turned out, Asbel wouldn't be home that day. But Pascal had done more than just leave Asbel with Lambda's hull. Thanks to a small, Amarcian communication device, Asbel had Frederic relay his apologies for his absence. The lord promised to be home soon- but the beast they were after was a tough one to track down.

Richard didn't mind. Lhant was comforting, after Barona. In some ways, the lazy country town was everything he wished Windor to be.

Was this was what it was like, to not be king? To not bear the sins that he had committed in a moment of madness?

He paused in his step; shook off that train of thought.

He was in front of Asbel's study. The door was left ajar, as if someone hadn't closed it properly. He didn't expect trouble here, but he gave the room a cursory glance. At first, he didn't spot anyone, but as his eyes adjusted to the darkened room, the king made out a small figure, resting in the dim moonlight.

A strange pit opened in his stomach. Lambda sat upon the window seat, head leaning against the glass. His arms curled around his knees as he peered out onto the streets.

Small and frail, silhouetted by a window that was far too tall.

Richard let go of his breath, and Lambda's gaze shot to him at the sound. Panic flashed like a cornered animal in those blood red eyes.

"It's just me." Richard held his hands up instinctively. Yet, when greeted with Lambda's now-still, blood red eyes, his throat tightened.

This was once his friend, he reminded himself. So why did Lambda look at him as if he were… not?

Lambda broke the tableau, relaxing his posture as he turned to look elsewhere. "How long were you standing there?" he asked, his words- though softer and lighter in tone- still sharp and cutting.

"Not that long," Richard answered. He hesitated, before asking, "Were you watching for Asbel?"

The slight turn of Lambda's head was answer enough.

It was obvious from the silence that Lambda wished for him to leave. But seeing Lambda's pale form fading almost into the shadows... he looked neither threatening or dangerous. Just lonely.

"Would you mind if I watched with you?" Richard blurted out.

Red eyes narrowed in a frown. "Why would you-" Lambda began, only to cut himself off halfway. Agitation ran across his features, before he finally asked, "What is it that you wish of me?"

"What do you mean?"

"I am no fool," Lambda muttered, before fixing the king with a stern glare. "After everything I've done- why would you-" He hesitated. "How can you  _bear_  to speak to me?" He broke eye contact. "I can sense your fear, Richard. It's clung to you ever since you arrived."

Richard winced, though he wasn't surprised. One didn't share a mind with another without learning about the other person. But just as Lambda knew of his thoughts, Richard had some inkling of what Lambda was feeling right now.

Breathing slowly, he lowered his hands, took a step forward. "I'm not afraid of you," Richard said, keeping his voice soft.

The humanoid eyed him. "You have all the reason to."

Richard lowered his gaze. "I've never blamed you for what happened... to us."

Lambda stiffened. Faintly, the creature asked, "How could you not?"

Richard's frown deepened. Without a word, he moved to sit by the humanoid's side, trying to ignore the way his companion flinched at the proximity.

Emotions swirled in Lambda's eyes. Feelings that he once drowned in. Bile rose in Richard's throat, and he turned away. When he glanced at Lambda again, the humanoid's face had returned to a glassy calm as he stared out into the darkness.

Richard hesitated. The words had been swimming around his mind for months, but now that he had the chance to tell Lambda the truth, it took all his courage to force them out.

"What happened to us... wasn't entirely your fault," he told him. "What we did, we did together. When we were together, we brought out the worst in one another."

"So we're both to blame?" Lambda's tone was disdainful.

Richard let his gaze float towards the road. "In a matter of speaking."

The silence stretched on for a while. Although Lambda sat right next to him, he might as well have been alone. Though they were mere inches apart, it was as if a gulf separated them.

"Leave me be, Richard," Lambda said at last. "You owe me nothing."

It wasn't a rejection, but neither was it an acceptance of his apology. Richard swallowed. Then, quietly, he said, "I owe you this much, at least."

Lambda's eyes widened- a movement so small Richard almost missed it. The humanoid fastened his lips in a thin line. He turned back to watching the path. "Do what you will," he said.

The words were not as sharp as they could have been.

So Richard sat, silent, as his once-friend continued to stare out into the night. It reminded him of the few peaceful moments they had, before they had drained Gloandi. When things between them could have been normal; when Richard still thought he could save Lambda.

_Save Lambda…_

There was a look in Lambda's eyes. Something downcast, something troubled- something he wasn't saying. After all this time, the king couldn't expect him to. They weren't friends anymore. Just two lost souls that almost destroyed everything around them- even one another.

Lambda didn't shiver, sat lifeless in the dark. Still, it was far too cold for any child- human or no- to be watching for a friend that would not come.

Richard hesitated, then he unfastened his cloak and threw it around the humanoid's shoulders. The act seemed to catch Lambda off-guard, and he turned to him- maybe to admonish him. But something in Richard's expression stopped him. Instead of saying anything, he dipped his head and turned away.

They sat in silence- but unlike the cold nights in Barona, there was a comfort in it. Lambda's expression seemed to ease, his fingers pulling the cloak close.

As the night dragged on, Richard's eyelids grew heavy. He shifted his position and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes for what he swore would only be a moment.

He didn't know how long he stayed that way, but then a hesitant weight shifted onto his side. Someone crawled next to him, cautious not to disturb him, and a tentative head leaned against his shoulder.

He tried not to show any sign of his surprise as he stole a glance at his companion. The humanoid had his eyes closed. Even if his body did not need it, it was obvious that Lambda's spirit and mind were a different matter entirely.

Richard managed a small smile. As he rested, Lambda looked just like a normal child, curled up beside him. Just like the friend he once knew, an age ago.

Careful not to disturb his companion, the king closed his eyes and let himself drift off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

He was dreaming. Anger burned through his veins; a hatred that could not be quenched. He roared and screamed and raged against the world that had used him, betrayed him, over and over and over. The wretched world that had torn everything he loved to pieces.

The hate and darkness was comforting. He wasn't alone- an unseen force granted him the power to act on their shared desires. To destroy the world that had cursed them so. Lambda was full of rage, but it was Richard who gave them a target for that anger- directed their sense of powerlessness and grief into something worthwhile. Into blood- stained upon their hands.

The feelings devoured him, drowning him in an endless sea that he didn't want to wake up from. But then someone called out to him. There was a vision of blue eyes; of a friend with an outstretched hand. Love and desperation for  _him_ ; reflecting in someone else's eyes-

And he wanted-  _they_   _wanted-_

Then the eyes shifted, morphing into a young man whose gray eyes were filled with hate. He mouthed something, and Richard clasped his hands over his ears.

But whispering into his ears and soul, the voice that spoke to him was his own.

_"Monster."_

* * *

Richard woke, his scream of denial faltering into a gasp. Sweat beaded his brow, and his hands clutched at the cloak that had been draped carefully over him. He breathed; counted the seconds. Outside, he could see sopheria gardens; hear the sound of the bustling town waking up. Reminding him that he was  _safe._

At first, he was disoriented. Asbel's study was not his bedroom in Barona, and his body ached from a night spent curled up on a window seat. But as his memories filtered in, Richard shot awake and glanced around.

He was alone. Lambda was gone.

He didn't know why he felt disappointed. If nothing else, last night had been a reminder that things between them were… strained. In the light of day, their little conversation was like a distant memory. Something best left in the past. He shook it off, like he did his nightmares, time and time again.

Frederic reported that Asbel and Sophie weren't able to return that day either. That was normal enough- tracking down nova monsters could take days, maybe even weeks. And without access to the shuttle, it would take much longer for the Lord of Lhant to return home.

He stayed busy, distracting himself. After all, if he paused, the nightmares and dark thoughts returned. So he spent his time snooping around Lhant- talking to its people, enjoying the peaceful respite of the town. Pretending, just for a moment, that everything was as it should be.

In the evening, he toured the markets with Lady Kerri. The Lhant matriarch had requested him to escort her, and as a gentleman, he wasn't going to turn Asbel's mother down. The older woman seemed enamored by her esteemed guest- few people of high prestige visited Lhant, after all. She maintained a strict, maternal tone talking to him. Richard had never known his own mother, so the entire experience was new and yet, not unwelcome.

While they were heading back to Lhant manor, Richard saw Lady Kerri come to a brief stop. A small frown pulled on her face. He followed her gaze, trained towards the windmill towering over the Lhant town center.

And up above, the familiar figure of a small, humanoid child sat, legs dangling from the top of Lord Windgarde.

"You look almost like he does."

Lady Kerri's voice caught him unawares. She watched him with the saddest smile, the kindness in her eyes too hard to swallow. If he was in Barona, if he was king- he would have dismissed her with a polite laugh. But he hesitated.

"I apologize, Lady Kerri," he began, only to pause, surprised by the brusqueness in his own voice. The memory of a small humanoid the night before, curled up by his side, flashed through his thoughts.

Lady Kerri shook her head with a sigh. "You're worried about him." Her voice lowered. "We all are."

"What… happened to him?" Richard asked. In the letters Asbel had written, Lambda had been happy, as much as the lord could guess. Not secluding himself, with a heavy weight in his eyes.

Kerri measured him. "Are you sure you wish to know?"

Richard hesitated. He didn't come to Lhant to meddle in Lambda's affairs, but he remembered how cold the night had been. How small, inhuman hands had fastened his cloak around him with care.

He nodded.

Kerri shook her head. "I had hoped I wouldn't be the one to tell you," she murmured. With a deep breath, she looked up. "Lambda… attacked someone. A child."

The world suddenly stilled. His heart pounded heavily in his chest.

"They had some sort of altercation- right at the landing, there." She nodded towards where Lambda was sitting. "Sophie said he almost threw the child off the ledge."

"Almost?"

"She stopped him," Kerri explained. "If not for her, I dare not think what would have happened."

Richard turned towards the windmill. Towards Lambda, who was staring out into the distance. If the humanoid had noticed him, he showed no sign.

"Your Majesty-" Kerri began.

Richard shook his head. "I'll join you shortly, Lady Kerri."

Kerri frowned, but she made no move to stop him. Instead, she dipped into a curtsy before moving off, her quiet steps fading off down the road to the manor as he walked towards Lambda. A part of him wished to turn back, but something else urged him forward.

Taking a deep breath, he gripped the ladder in his hands and began climbing.

* * *

 A slight breeze brushed his cheek as he reached the landing. The dull light of the sunset drenched the wooden panels with a warm orange glow. This high above the town, none of his problems were in sight- save for the one that sat before him.

Lambda had not moved an inch, not even to acknowledge his presence. The humanoid faced the sunset, his small back the only dark in the entirety of Richard's vision.

Richard wasn't sure what he expected. But there was a burning inside his heart that had brought him here.

"Go away."

The command was quiet, almost lost in the wind. Lambda had not turned, but there was no mistaking the solemn words.

Richard's grip tightened. He moved towards Lambda; tried to ignore the fear eating in his gut. There was no way Richard could ever forget that who he dealt with was no harmless child.

The humanoid kept a steadfast gaze out towards the countryside. "It was not a request."

"Will you force me to leave, then?" Richard asked, voice tight. "Throw me off this ledge?"

Lambda spun to him. For a split-second, he caught a distraught spark in Lambda's eyes. A chill ran down the king's spine.

The humanoid breathed and lowered his gaze to Richard's feet. His face returned to a smooth calm, but his hands trembled as he gripped the railing.

In a faint voice, Lambda murmured, "You know."

Richard swallowed. "Lady Kerri told me."

The humanoid's fingers dug into the wood. "That was none of her business," he shot back, "nor yours."

Richard ignored the way his stomach twisted. "Why, because I'm not Asbel?"

Lambda froze.

"What were you thinking, Lambda?" Richard asked. "After everything we've been through- after everything Asbel has done for you-"

"What would you know?" Lambda's voice was soft, but it cut through the air like a knife. In the shadow of the setting sun, Lambda looked more monstrous than child.

Richard stammered, "I don't- but you wouldn't trust me enough to tell me, would you?"

"As you would trust me with yours?" He turned on Richard. His face was emotionless, save for the dangerous glint in his eyes. "Ever the hypocrite, Richard."

Richard stiffened. "I have no idea what you're talking about-"

"So you came to Lhant for a tea call then." Lambda snorted. His eyes narrowed. "As I said before, I am no fool."

"It's none of your business-" Richard began.

"Neither am I one of yours. Not anymore."

Richard glared at him. "I just want to help!"

Lambda snorted. "There's nothing to help," he remarked. "A boy thought it amusing to throw a cat off this ledge. I thought it amusing if I did the same to him."

"That's-" Richard swallowed. "You know that's not right."

Lambda glanced at him. "He would have killed her."

"And you tried to throw him off the ledge." Richard couldn't hide the incredulity in his voice.

Lambda grit his teeth. "People who disregard life are nothing more than monsters." Quietly, he murmured, "I thought you would have understood."

"Understood?" Richard gaped. "Are you even listening to yourself?" He clenched his fists even as Lambda turned away from him. "You would have killed him!"

"Would you rather I be regretful?" His voice was soft and light. False. "That I yearn to change from the monster that I am?"

That stole the wind from Richard's sails.

"You're not a monster," he whispered. "When we met, you were powerful, but I remember how frightened you were," he sighed. "I- I was the one who convinced you of the innate evil in humanity. I wanted to watch Cedric suffer; I reaffirmed all our deepest fears and doubts."

"And I had no part in it? I did not delight in watching Protos Heis suffer, did not try to kill everyone in my way?"

Richard hesitated.

"It wasn't your fault-"

"How selfish can you be!?"

The words ripped through Lambda's body. He turned on Richard, red eyes blazing.

"Do you seek to forget your troubles by 'helping' me?" he snarled. "Or does my existence trouble you because it reminds you of your weakness? I hurt you- destroyed you- and yet you wish to pretend that it was the reverse!"

In that moment, reason abandoned him. Striding forward, he seized hold of Lambda's shoulders, tried to get the creature to see- "I'm trying to help you because I thought we were  _friends_!"

Lambda's eyes softened. A glimpse of sorrow.

Then Lambda struck his hands aside. "You cannot help me. You cannot even help yourself. Is that not why you came to Lhant? For Asbel to solve your problems?"

Words leapt to his tongue, but under Lambda's gaze, his retorts sounded pathetically weak. "That's true," he admitted. "I'm a coward, and a horrible person. But Asbel isn't here." He fixed the humanoid with his full attention. "You are."

Lambda froze.

Then he hurled himself at the king, slammed him to the floorboards of the landing. Tiny hands grabbed at the nape of his cloak, pulled their faces so close they almost touched. Staring into those red eyes, Richard's throat dried. All the emotion in them drew him into a familiar whirlpool- drowning and consuming-

He flinched.

The weight around his neck disappeared. Lambda pulled back, his hands dropping to the side. But what caught Richard off-guard was the expression on his face.

Guilt. Fear. Self-loathing.

"You see?" Lambda whispered. "We're both too much alike."

Richard dipped his head. He wanted to help Lambda- but-

"Stay away from me." Lambda's words were soft, breathless. The air felt thick, the eleth swirling into a dark mist around the humanoid. "I don't want to hurt you. Not again."

Before Richard could stop him, he moved. He slipped away, out of his view and down the ladder, before the king even got to his feet.

Richard was left alone on the landing. As the seconds ticked by, his breathing calmed, and the adrenaline that had ran through his body subsided. But the image of Lambda, hands around his neck, was burned into his mind's eye.

He shivered as the evening breeze blew past him, but he did not draw his cloak close.


	4. Chapter 4

Lady Kerri was mortified when Richard told her what happened. She sent for Frederic, and they searched the town late into the night. Despite how exhaustive the search was, they couldn't find Lambda.

Frederic told him not to worry. Lambda would not have left, he said. Ludicrous as it sounded, he had reasons to stay. So he lay down and closed his eyes, but sleep avoided him. What if the reason he couldn't find Lambda wasn't because he was hiding? What if he had left Lhant, without word or explanation? What if he never saw his friend again? What if he returned to being the monster Richard had made him?

That last question haunted him the most.

He got up before the crack of dawn. He threw aside his covers and made his way down to the garden. Dark stillness chilled the air, but there was no sign of life as he pushed the door open.

The garden was foreboding, the quiet of the early morning lending little ease to his fears. At first, it was hard to see anything.

In the darkness, he almost missed the slight movement in the shadows. But there Lambda was- tending to a flowerbed of sopherias. Lambda's head was lowered as he focused on his task. He lugged a too-large watering can over to the flowers, his movements methodical and calm.

He looked peaceful in the safety of his home. Yet his bowed posture seemed resigned; sad.

Richard stepped towards the humanoid. He did not hide his approach, but Lambda paid him no heed.

He hesitated. "I was afraid that you had left Lhant." Though the words sounded confident in his mind, they came out as a mild murmur.

Lambda's movement stilled, until he caught himself pouring too much water on a flower. Without faltering, the humanoid moved to the next row. "I promised Protos Heis I would care for her flowers in her stead," he replied, his voice lifeless. "I may be a lot of things, but an oathbreaker is not one of them."

Richard scuffed his foot on the ground. "That's- that's what I came to talk to you about," he said at last.

"My gardening abilities?" Lambda's voice bore a mild hint of his usual sarcasm.

Richard chose to ignore the barb. "About yesterday… I'm sorry."

Now Lambda stopped.

"You were right," the king continued. "I was selfish. I didn't understand. I didn't even see that you were hurting."

"I'm not-" Lambda began, but his protest died on a sigh.

The king felt a pang of sympathy. "Asbel- He didn't want to leave you behind, did he?" Richard asked. "You wanted to stay."

The humanoid was still. Then he replied, "He... wanted to help. But no matter how any of you try, you cannot change that I'm a-" He faltered, the words stuck in his throat.

"A monster?"

Lambda nodded and lowered his head. "That is what the child's parents called me, when Asbel brought me to their house to apologize. When everyone else found out-" He let out a quiet, bitter snort. "I could feel the fear in their hearts. Just like before."

"That's not true," Richard retorted. "Lady Kerri and Frederic- they're worried about you. And I'm sure Asbel and Sophie-"

"They waste their time."

Richard sighed. They really were too similar, and Asbel, kind as he was, would not understand. After all, Asbel never had, and never would, feel the desire to kill or hurt another out of revenge. He was too good for that.

But Richard wasn't, and he couldn't wait for Asbel this time.

The humanoid had stopped in his task, the watering can left on the ground in front of him. Crouching by Lambda's side, Richard rested a hand on his shoulder like he did the day before. This time, Lambda did not react.

"Come with me," he pleaded. "There's something I must show you."

Lambda's muscles tensed under his fingertips. "Do not try to persuade me that I'm wrong- that somehow everything is your fault." Lambda shook his head. "Why can't you just accept that I am the one to blame for everything that happened to you? Why won't you just see- that I'm-"

He choked, and there was a flash of sorrow in his eyes. But Richard understood.

"You're not." His selfish words yesterday affirmed his friend's fears- just like before. Though he couldn't see Lambda's eyes, hidden by his bangs, Richard tried his best to smile. "Please, Lambda."

_Trust me._

Lambda glanced at him. Though his red eyes remained wary, he nodded his assent.

* * *

 The sun rose as they walked through the streets. There were a few people at this hour, but none as conspicuous as them. Richard was aware of the townsfolk's stares- and how different they were. Gone were the curiosity and amusement when he had walked with Lady Kerri, replaced instead by a thick cloud of trepidation at the sight of his companion.

The humanoid hadn't said a word throughout the trip. He kept a distance away, his eyes trained to the ground.

"Here," the king said at last, coming to a stop at an alleyway. Faint light trickled down from the opening in the rooftops, and nothing stirred in the early morning. It was quiet. Safe.

There was growing consternation on Lambda's face. Richard nudged him, and for a moment, a guileless look of surprise graced the humanoid's face, quickly replaced by stilled irritation.

"Go on," Richard encouraged him.

Lambda frowned. He took a few steps forward into the alley.

"What's… here?" he asked at last.

"You'll see," Richard replied. Frederic had pointed out this spot to him the night before, and the king had taken interest in the secrets it hid.

Lambda shot a disgruntled look at him, and Richard couldn't help but grin. A faint red crept over the humanoid's cheeks, and catching himself, Lambda turned around and stomped forward.

Then, there was a sound. Lambda's gaze snapped to the source- a pile of boxes in the corner. Cautiously, a calico cat stalked its way from behind the stack. It studied the humanoid, then, approached fearlessly and wound itself around Lambda's legs. The humanoid's impassive expression turned into a smile as he reached down to scratch behind her ears. The cat leaned into his fingers, emitting a soft purr as she greeted her savior.

Richard breathed a sigh of relief. "It seems that she remembers you," he said, voice light, catching Lambda's attention.

"How did you-" Lambda began, only to let out an uncharacteristic yelp as the cat bounded away. He stared at where she had disappeared, back to the box pile. She reemerged with a kitten, no bigger than a day old, held by the scruff of its neck.

Lambda settled down on the cobblestone, heedless of his white robe. The cat placed her child in his lap. Then, she ran back towards the crates and returned with another kitten. And another. Soon, Lambda had a purring cat and her five mewling, blind kittens in his lap.

"She looks thinner than I remember," Lambda said, an unfamiliar note of humor in his voice. When he looked at Richard again, the mask of the emotionless humanoid was gone. "I was afraid that- my actions might have scared her. Might have hurt her and her young."

Richard shook his head. "You saved their lives, Lambda."

Lambda's expression darkened as he watched the kittens that lay on his lap. He ran a finger down one's spine. "This… doesn't change what I tried to do."

"And what did you try to do?" he asked. He raised a hand before Lambda could protest, fixed him with as stern a look as he could muster. "I want to hear it from you."

Lambda frowned. Then he sighed. "When I saw that child- I wanted to make him feel the same fear she felt. I wanted him to never touch her, ever again. I wanted him to know that if he had hurt anyone else, I would be there."

"You wanted to save them. Just like you tried to save me, all those years ago." Richard folded his arms as he leaned against a nearby wall. "You were never a monster. I'd never believe that."

"Even after- yesterday?" Lambda's voice was low, hesitant.

Richard paused. He flashed Lambda a smile. "You would never hurt me. We're friends."

Lambda stared at him, mouth agape. He was about to speak when the sound of rapid, light footsteps interrupted him.

Richard turned. Rushing down the alleyway was a child of no more than eight, a sack held tight in his hand.

The eleth in the air suddenly spiked.

"You-" Lambda began, voice low and dark, until Richard lifted a hand.

But the boy had sighted them. He all but backpedaled- only to trip and fall backwards, landing on his rump.

"W-why are you here?" the boy yelped as the king approached.

"Don't worry," Richard told him. "He won't hurt you. As long as you don't hurt them." He nodded towards the family of felines meowing loudly from Lambda's lap.

"Richard," Lambda snarled, the question evident in his voice.

He flashed his friend a small smile. Though he narrowed his eyes, Lambda didn't move.

Fear flashed in the boy's eyes as Richard approached, intensifying all the more when Lambda glared at him.

"What brings you here?" Richard asked, his voice gentle as he knelt down to the child's height. He looked at the sack. The neck had fallen open, and Richard glimpsed food piled within it. But the child did not look like a hungry thief.

"You're- the king, right?" the child gulped, eyes darting between Lambda and Richard. "And he's-" He stopped, the violent look in the humanoid's eyes shutting him down.

"Richard," Lambda hissed. "That brat- he's the one."

Richard paused. Under his scrutiny, the child all but cried.

"I'm sorry!" the boy blurted out. "I- I came to apologize!"

Behind him, hatred emanated off Lambda in waves. With a soft sigh, Richard stood up and extended a helping hand towards the boy. "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," he murmured.

"But-" the child began, only to stop and glance at Lambda. For his part, the humanoid hunched down more, his arms encircling the family of cats as he glared.

The boy lowered his gaze, biting his lip.

"Come on." Richard flashed him a gentle smile.

With a deep breath, the boy took Richard's hand. When the king pulled him up, the child squared his shoulders and approached Lambda.

"I'm sorry," the child repeated, even though he couldn't meet Lambda's eyes. "I-I tried to hurt your friend."

The humanoid said nothing, his brow furrowed.

"Lord Asbel said- I did something bad," the child explained. "I didn't know- I thought if I threw her, she'd be okay."

"Because cats always land on their feet?" Lambda snarled. "Did you even think-?"

"No." The boy trembled. "I'm sorry. I didn't know how scared she was- until you- until I-" He shook his head. "It was scary."

The fierce look on the humanoid's face wavered. He turned back to the cat, and the kittens in his lap. In a low whisper, Lambda muttered, "I must apologize as well."

Richard's eyes widened. Lambda let out a deep, heavy sigh.

"I shouldn't have attacked you," he said. "There were any number of ways I could have stopped you but I- I didn't think when I acted, either."

The child blinked, lifting his gaze to the humanoid's. Hesitantly, Lambda held out a hand- an apology; an offering.

"You're not angry?"

"You've apologized." Lambda smirked. "As long as you mean it, I see no point in anger."

The child's eyes widened before his face broke into he a grin. "You know, you're pretty cool."

Lambda gave a little harrumph, but his cheeks were flushed. "I would not go that far," he muttered.

The child laughed, before ducking his head once more. He thrust the sack into Lambda's hand and said, "This is for them. I wanted to say sorry."

Lambda hesitated before taking the gift. Wordlessly, he pulled out blankets and pieces of dried meat and bread. He paused, before turning to Richard once more.

Smiling, the king gestured. Lambda gave him an exasperated look, but sighed.

"Thank you," the humanoid muttered.

The boy grinned then, and, bobbing a small bow to both him and Richard, turned on his heel and ran off.

Richard wasn't sure what Lambda was thinking as they stared at the boy's departing figure. He hadn't even been sure whether things would have worked out the way they had. But he knew Lambda. And as he watched his friend play with the cats on his lap, Richard heaved a sigh of relief.

* * *

 They left before noon, after Lambda had set up a bed for the cats in one of the crates. Though the humanoid had walked off without a backward glance, Richard had a sneaking suspicion that Lambda would return.

They walked in silence, with Lambda following by his side, tiny hand resting in his. The townspeople still gave them curious looks, but Richard didn't mind. As far as he could tell, Lambda was so lost in his own thoughts that he wasn't aware of the stares.

As they turned the corner, just before they reached Lhant manor, Lambda halted. Richard followed suit, waiting for the humanoid to voice his thoughts.

"You… said I saved you." A small frown graced his childlike features.

"You did," the king affirmed. "If it weren't for you, I'd have died in those catacombs, poisoned and alone."

"Even though I tried to kill Protos Heis?"

"Would you have killed that boy, Lambda?"

Lambda's frown deepened, but finally he shook his head.

"I wanted to scare him. But... no. I do not think I would have."

"Then that's the difference between who you were then and who you are now," Richard replied. "The difference between us. Deep down, you saw those in pain and wanted to help. Because you understood. Because you wanted to save us."

"Is that not the same for you?" Lambda returned. "The Richard I knew was kind. Perhaps too much so."

"Perhaps that kindness was just a mask for my truest feelings." Richard glanced away.

The humanoid frowned. "What you did today, Richard- it was… kind. I do not think it to be a mask."

Richard frowned. "No. I just wanted you to stop blaming yourself."

"Is that not the definition of kindness?" Lambda replied with a wry smile. "To help those in need?"

Richard mulled over Lambda's words. But before he could respond, he heard the sound of movement and metal. He spun around, glimpsed the weapon heading straight for him-

Realized he was about to die.

Then a purple wall formed up in the air around him, encircling his position. The dagger clanged against solid eleth before falling to the ground.

Richard glanced back at Lambda; saw the shock in those red eyes. He turned his attention back to the front, and suddenly he was staring at a young man wearing black clothes far too baggy for his small fame, and a familiar, gaunt face.

The assassin that haunted his nightmares was  _here_ , shattering the idyllic peace that Richard was just starting to get used to. With deliberate care, the assassin picked up his fallen weapon and gave Richard a cursory glance.

"Next time, king," he hissed.

Then he reached into his pocket and threw something at the ground. A thick fog erupted from the smoke bomb before either he or Lambda could react. And when the dust cleared, the assassin was gone.

Something dark stirred in his breast. It was hard to breathe, and far too easy to recall that night in Barona.

"Richard," Lambda called, snapping him out of his thoughts. There was a dawning realization in the humanoid's narrowed eyes.

Richard took a deep breath and straightened. He had some explaining to do.


	5. Chapter 5

A letter from Barona lay on his bed when he finally returned, Dalen's seal pressed onto the wax. Though the slip of paper looked harmless, Richard knew better.

Some of the disgruntled nobility had hatched a plot to release the assassin. While Dalen had apprehended the parties involved, the assassin had eluded capture.

Their investigations had revealed that the boy hailed from a small town on the eastern coast of Windor. He had once been a promising young pupil under his swordmaster father, until his family and town were destroyed by nova monsters when Richard and Lambda had taken over World's Eye.

Richard had to restrain himself from crushing the letter and throwing it away.

One thing was obvious- he couldn't stay. No matter where he went, no matter what he did, his sins would follow him. But he wouldn't drag the people who had shown him such friendship into this mess. He didn't want them to suffer for his own mistakes.

When he finally mustered the courage to make it down for dinner, the warm smiles and cheery voices failed to ease the lead weight in his gut. The comforting aroma of a freshly cooked meal permeated the hall, but did little to lift his spirits. There was word that Asbel was nearby, and by his estimate, the hunt had almost concluded. The Lord would return soon.

Had it been a day earlier, Richard would have been overjoyed and relieved. But now, he couldn't bring himself to meet the eyes of the gathered Lhant household. Somber and quiet, he stood and told them that he would be leaving the next day. He tried to avoid the awkward, questioning looks of Lady Kerri and Frederic. Lambda had his gaze fixed on his plate the entire time, not a word passing his lips.

It was better this way. The last time he dragged Lambda into his troubles, it had ended badly for everyone. And now that the latter was safe and well, Richard had no inclination to disturb him further.

So after his announcement, he retired to his room and closed the door.

The night was quiet. Richard lit a fire, but it did nothing to ease the tension he felt. After packing his meager belongings, the king found himself peering out of the window. The stars overlooked a calm town brushed by a gentle breeze. It was beautiful, peaceful. What he always wished Windor could be.

He longed for the warmth here, for a life unburdened by his guilt, freed from his nightmares. Where he wouldn't tear his whole world asunder.

But then his musings were interrupted by the click of the lock and the creak of an opening door. He whirled around, leveling his sword at the door. Panic welled up in his throat, but he bit it back, focusing on whoever approached-

Lambda stared at him from the door, unimpressed by the whole display.

Richard heaved a deep sigh of relief and returned his blade to its sheath. "I said no visitors," he groused.

"I am merely returning the favor." Lambda shrugged as he entered the room. "You would not leave me alone when I wished it, so I am here."

"Lambda-" Richard massaged his forehead.

"The assassin troubles you," Lambda continued as if Richard had not spoken. "I know he attacked you in Barona. I know he was the reason why you came to Lhant, and why you choose now to leave." He folded his arms. "What I do not understand is why."

Richard debated whether he should send Lambda away, but the earnest look in his eyes gave him pause. Finally, he settled onto the edge of his bed, head in his hands.

"Richard." Lambda's voice was quiet and comforting in the silence of the room. "I would not pry if I had any other choice."

"I know," Richard muttered, misery seeping into his voice.

"Do you not trust me?"

"That's not it." Richard paused. A sense of déjà vu swept over him.

Swallowing, he turned to Lambda. Red eyes watched him with a kindness he had never seen before. A trust he had all but forgotten.

Dipping his head, Richard spoke.

"When he attacked me, that night in Barona-" He shuddered. "I wanted to kill him. I was frustrated with everything- how my actions hurt Windor. Hurt everyone. No matter what I tried, I never was… good enough. Not as a king, nor as a person." He lowered his head. "The true monster, Lambda? It was never you. It was always me."

Lambda turned towards the fire, crackling on the other side of the room, before he spoke.

"When we first met, you tried to help me. In return, I amplified your hatred and made you turn on your own friends."

"You are not to blame for this," Richard insisted. "If I had any strength as a monarch, I would never have put my kingdom in jeopardy." He smile was bitter. "No matter how strong you were."

"And so you blame yourself for Windor's fate."

Richard nodded.

"You wretched fool."

He heard Lambda stride towards him. Then tiny arms flung themselves around his shoulders, holding him tight. His touch was unfamiliar, but warm. Before he could react, Lambda muttered by his ear.

"You said it before: what we did, we did together. This weight is not yours alone to bear."

"But  _I'm_ the king," Richard murmured. "I alone am responsible for the suffering of my people, for all the hatred I showed you-"

"You are only one man." Lambda's face was serious as he pulled away. "A good man."

"How- how can you even say that?" Richard cried. "After what I made you become-"

"You tried to  _help_ me." Lambda didn't flinch as he spoke. "And after you realized what I tried to make you do, you tried to stop me. Despite everything we shared, you turned against me to save the world."

"If it wasn't for Asbel, we would have  _destroyed_  the world."

"I would have." Lambda's eyes were serious. "You would have died for defying me." He tilted his head. "And if not for you, perhaps I would never have listened to Asbel. I would have destroyed him, too, along with everyone else."

Richard felt numb. He still recalled the overwhelming pain when Lambda had tried to kill him; the desperation as he tried to hold Lambda still. How he couldn't bear destroying everything- every _one_  he had ever loved.

Lambda flashed him a wry smile. "Even though I told you to think only of yourself, you cared more for others than your own life."

Richard shook his head. "That doesn't change anything," he said quietly. "It doesn't change the fact that I wanted to… murder someone."

"Yet, you didn't," Lambda pointed out. "Despite your desire, you spared that man's life. In that sense, perhaps you are even stronger than I."

"What if I acted on that desire?" Richard shook his head. Hoarsely, he whispered, "I  _shouldn't_ be king."

Only four words. But they haunted him, dogged him. It was a thought he had never voiced- as if, by speaking it, he would acknowledge it as truth.

He stared at his hands, clasped tightly together.

"Then who?"

Richard slowly raised his head. Lambda watched him, arms crossed and face impassive.

Richard shrugged. "Someone better than me. Someone like..." He frowned. "I don't know, Asbel."

Lambda snorted. With a faint flush, Richard had to admit that the idea was ludicrous

"That fool barely manages to keep Lhant in order as it is," Lambda muttered. "Besides, his heart is too pure. Your nobles would eat him alive."

Richard swallowed. "I can't trust anyone else," he answered. "The other nobles- they'd use the throne for their own power, their own prerogatives. They want me dead for getting in their way of their politics. Windor would only suffer in their hands."

"Then who?" Lambda repeated the question, watching him with a stern stare.

Richard hesitated. He was unworthy of the throne, and Windor deserved better. It was his country, his beautiful homeland. It was everything he wanted to protect, even if it meant he wasn't the king. But now that he earnestly thought about it- he couldn't find an answer.

He squeezed his eyes shut and drew a shuddering breath. "I don't know. But I don't want to destroy Windor."

"You won't." Lambda's voice was gentle.

Richard wavered, voice breaking as he whispered, "Why do you have such faith in me?"

Small fingers brushed against his cheek, lifted his chin an inch. And red eyes that once seemed so terrifying now shone proudly in the firelight.

"You had faith in me. You saved me. That part of you never changed." Lambda's smile was slight. "It is why I believe you will save your country, as you always wanted."

What he always wanted? He was about to spit out a denial, but then… he heard it. Buried underneath his guilt and pain were almost-forgotten feelings, and almost-forgotten words. A bygone time, when a young prince showed his friends his kingdom and a distant dream.

He remembered how the breeze had caressed his cheek, how he spoke proudly of his duty. His calling.

_I would give anything to build a world without conflict._

Richard bowed his head, let his thoughts settle. Though it had been years since he thought of those words, he could not forget the love he felt for the world. The joy and prosperity, the life that teemed within it. The only way he could secure that- the only way to give Windor the peace he craved-

The choking knot in his chest unraveled. He closed his eyes, blinking back the tears. "Thank you, Lambda."

The humanoid shrugged. "You blamed yourself for what happened to me. I blamed myself for what happened to you." He managed a smirk. "I am glad that is not the case."

Richard let out a small chuckle. "Perhaps we are still too similar, despite it all."

"It may not be such a bad thing." Lambda glanced away.

They sat in silence. Dark shadows stretched across the room, but Richard no longer felt them watching him. It was just him and Lambda- anchoring each other against their shared fears.

"What will you do?" Lambda asked

Richard sighed. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I'll figure it out."

Lambda said nothing. He didn't have to.

Richard had no solid answers. But for the first time in a long while, the doubts deep in his heart were quiet. And as he sat with his friend, watching the dying embers in the fireplace, a long-forgotten sensation of peace descended over him.

Come what may, Richard decided, he had made his choice.

* * *

That night, Richard dreamed of the rolling hills of Windor. They were a beautiful green, with flowers blooming everywhere he walked. The wind ruffled his hair, and the sun shone bright through the clouds. Everything was as it should be.

Then he smelled something- a scent from the depths of his memory. Something burning; something that put him on alert.

He came to his senses. There was a light weight pressing down on the bed. Then, he heard the sound of someone's breath above him. He was not alone.

He woke, and the assassin froze. A knife hung mere inches over his head.

The assassin's eyes widened in surprise. He hesitated. Richard didn't.

He threw his assailant off with as much force as he could muster. The assassin landed on the floor, dazed.

That smell- it was a flower that, when burned, would render everyone who inhaled the smoke unconscious. Richard had spent most of his youth building up an immunity to a repertoire of poisons, and the drug was among them. Despite the commotion, nobody would come to his aid. He was on his own.

Richard scrambled for his sword. He had- without thinking- left it across the room. His fingers brushed the hilt when an arm seized his collar and pulled him away. The assassin turned, slammed him against the post of the bed.

A piercing pain thudded through his skull. It was hard to think, but Richard could hear the assassin's steps. Throwing himself to the side, he heard the thunk of a blade sinking deep into wood. As the spots in his eyes cleared, the king saw the assassin yank the blade free.

He was too far from his sword, and there was little space between them. Getting to his feet, Richard eyed his would-be killer. In the moonlight, he looked as threatening as ever, but the strain was evident on that small, haggard frame. There was a terrified, crazed look of desperation in the boy's eyes.

"You don't have to do this," Richard whispered. "This- this isn't what you want."

"How could you know what I want?" the assassin cried. "You destroyed everything that mattered to me!"

"I did," Richard agreed. "And I'm sorry. But killing me will not ease the pain you feel."

"Do you expect me to believe that?!" the assassin yelled, lunging forward.

Richard flinched. He put his arms up, braced for the impact-

That never came.

He counted his heartbeat- one. Two. Then, a heavy thud echoed through the room. Opening his eyes, Richard gasped.

The assassin stood frozen in front of him, tears running down sunken cheeks. Mismatched gray and red eyes stared back at him. And behind him, in the doorway that the assassin must have opened when he entered, he saw-

Lambda's motionless body.

Staring at that eye of faded red, realization dawned upon him.

"Lambda," he choked.

The boy screamed, staggering backwards. The dagger fell from his hands as he clutched at his head. With a shiver of panic, Richard reached forward; seized the boy by his shoulders.

"Lambda, get out right now!" he yelled, even as they struggled against his grip.

As if responding to his voice, the assassin stopped fighting. Then Richard heard something pass through his unconscious- a whisper of a familiar voice.

_Trust me._

Richard breathed, unable to believe his ears- and then the boy's eyes hardened. The assassin backhanded him, and a bright white pain flashed through his head. He struggled to keep an eye on their retreating, blurred form. But he couldn't.

And as they fled through the door, darkness came for him.


	6. Chapter 6

Richard's head throbbed. His body ached. Someone was yelling-

"Your Majesty!"

His eyelids fluttered open. Nauseated and disoriented, at first he didn't know where he was. But as his mind cleared, he could make out the familiar layout of his room. A small candle stood nearby, and Frederic and Lady Kerri were by his side, peering worriedly at him. He was propped up against a wall, with the manservant dabbing a wet cloth on his forehead.

"I'm fine, Frederic," Richard muttered, waving him aside.

"You were almost assassinated, your Majesty," Frederic retorted with a frown. "At least, that's what we assumed."

"Where's Lambda?" Lady Kerri's question drew Richard's scattered thoughts into focus. Behind her, he spotted Lambda's hull, lying where it had fallen.

Small and frail, and far too lifeless for Richard's liking.

His throat was dry, and he swallowed. "He stopped the assassin."

Her blue eyes glinted. "Then  _where_  is he?"

It was a struggle to stand, but Richard waved away Frederic's help. He picked up his sword and pulled his cloak tight.

"Richard!" Lady Kerri's command was sharp and desperate as she stepped in front of him. She held out her arms, barring him from leaving.

"I'm going to find him," he answered, as calmly as he could. "The assassin- he took him."

" 'Took'?" Lady Kerri's voice dripped with disbelief.

"Lambda… I think he wanted to help the assassin." Richard met Kerri's eyes. "Just like he wanted to help me."

Kerri and Frederic exchanged glances. "Is he in any danger?" Frederic asked, voice soft.

Richard chose his words carefully. "That's why I have to find him," he said at last, strapping the sword to his waist. "I can't let him..." He trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

"We'll let Lord Asbel know," Frederic suggested. "He's nearby. Sophie's with him- she'll be able to find them-"

"Do that," Richard agreed. "But I'm still going."

"Richard, you can't be serious." Kerri drew herself up. "Our soldiers are still reeling. They can't provide any backup. You'd be out on your own!"

Richard met her stare. "So is Lambda."

Kerri lost her bluster, and her shoulders slumped. With a final sigh, she said, "Come home safe. Both of you."

Richard gave her a grateful smile. With a final nod, he stepped out into the night. He only hoped he wouldn't be too late.

* * *

The air was cold, but it didn't bother Richard. Adrenaline pumped through his body as he followed the tell-tale signs of the assassin's passage through the countryside.

Uprooted trees and discarded boulders marked the way. Eventually, the haphazard destruction gave way to clear scratches on trees, leading him on. The deliberateness was evident that they were aware he was following. With every step, Richard's trepidation grew. Lambda had not calmed the assassin, had not taken control. Whoever he found... would not be his friend.

The markings led him to a small clearing in the forest. It was quiet; enveloped by the shadows. The only light was the faded moonbeams, filtered through the trees.

And in the darkness, they were waiting for him. The assassin was not quite human any longer. Long, dark spines pierced through his clothes, and black veins ran across the surface of his skin. Glowing red eyes fixed upon him, and a poisonous smile stretched across his face.

_"King Richard."_

It was as if he was staring into a mirror. What he once was; what he always feared he would become. Bile rose in his throat, and it took all his willpower to pull his eyes away from their mesmerizing gaze. From the whirlpool he was so familiar with.

"Lambda?"

The creature's eyes glazed over for an instant. But then it shook its head and got to its feet, any hesitation gone from its movement.

It approached, and Richard raised his sword. He warned, "Stay back."

 _"Or what?"_ The assassin spat, his voice gurgling.  _"You'll kill me?"_

"I don't want to," Richard returned. "You don't want to, either."

The creature laughed. With a fingertip, it pushed the edge of his sword away and leaned in close.  _"What a joke."_

It grinned. Claws flashed. Richard dodged- just as sharp, dagger-like nails crashed into the earth. When he glanced back, a new hole was torn into the ground where he had been standing, just a second before.

"Stop!" Richard yelled. "I'm not here to fight!"

 _"Says the man with the sword!"_ The creature spun, batting at his blade. Claws clashed against steel, and red eyes glared at him, inches away from his face.  _"After everything you've done,_ _ **now**_ _you choose to play the pacifist?"_

He didn't respond. Keeping them at bay was all he could do.

 _"You killed your people,"_ the creature said.  _"You hurt this world. You hurt us."_ Red eyes flared with rage.  _"_ _ **Your**_ _pain, inflicted on us!"_

"No, I-" His concentration broke, and he stumbled.

With a swing of their arm, they sent him flying. He hit the ground with a heavy thud, and then they were on top of him, claws tightening around his throat.

Staring down at him, their dark face twisted into a vicious grin.  _"Monster."_

He squeezed his eyes shut. It hurt; more than the poisons, more than the wounds he'd suffered. It hurt because they weren't wrong.

But even then; especially then-

He could see the assassin; the boy he wronged. He could see Asbel and Sophie, waiting for him. He could see Lambda, a gentle smile on his face.

The rolling green hills. The people in Barona. Everyone who believed and trusted in him.

Everything that he wanted to protect.

_"No!"_

The word ripped through him, surprising himself. Momentary shock passed through the monster, and with a surge of strength, Richard kicked his assailant aside.

They thudded heavily behind him. He grabbed at his sword, and as they struggled to stand, he rested his blade underneath their chin.

Panting, he said, "Yield."

Their eyes were unrelenting, still so focused with rage.

 _"Kill me, then,"_ the monster hissed.  _"You've already taken away everything else."_

Richard breathed. His sword trembled.

He  _wanted_ to do as the monster said. It was a reminder of all the deeds he had done; all the blood on his hands. An amalgamation of all his darkest fears and desires. He wished nothing more than to destroy that part of him; to be free from his sins.

But that desire was nothing more than a fantasy. Reality was something he couldn't run from. And all he could do... all he  _had_ to do...

He didn't lower his sword, but quietly, he said, "I'm not going to hurt you, Kalan. Not anymore."

The sound of his name focused the monster's gaze. He opened his mouth, but instead of a scream, there was a sudden gasp. A flicker of awareness; of something  _other_ than hate. Suddenly, a vortex of eleth swirled out from inside him, coalescing into a ball of energy. The assassin wobbled, then collapsed onto the grass. His chest rose with each breath- he still lived.

Richard turned to Lambda. His eleth had coalesced into the semi-translucent shape of his humanoid form, lying flat on the grass. Richard reached out and was surprised by the solidity of the eleth, and the way warm sparks shot through his arm. Lambda opened his eyes.

"Richard?" Lambda's voice was weak.

"What were you thinking?" he whispered.

"I could say the same of you." Lambda managed a small smile. "You should have waited for Asbel."

Richard wanted to laugh, to cry. Relief swept over him, and it was all he could do to keep himself together. "Would you have?"

Lambda smirked. Then, with a tiny nod towards the assassin's direction, he said, "When I was with him, I felt his rage, his sorrow. They were the same as ours. I lost my focus and-" He shook his head, shuddered.

Richard helped him up. "It's okay now."

Lambda gripped hold of his sleeve. "Help him, Richard. As you have helped me."

His protest was on the tip of his tongue, but Lambda's glare silenced them.

The assassin was younger than he had been when he watched his father die. When he killed his uncle. With a final glance at Lambda, he got to his feet and cautiously approached the boy who wanted him dead.

Kalan sat where he had left him, curled up in a ball. He didn't move as Richard neared, didn't even try to stand.

"Are you alright?" Richard asked, kneeling to meet the boy's eye level.

"What do you want from me?" the boy whispered.

"Nothing," Richard replied. "I just want to help."

"Haven't you done enough?" The angry bite was still in his words. The forest had grown silent, and an ominous breeze flitted through the trees.

Richard frowned. "We should get back to town," he suggested, reaching out towards the boy.

Kalan slapped his hand away, glaring at him. For a moment, Richard wondered if he would lunge at him with only tooth and nail. But when the boy moved, it was to slide past him and into the woods. Richard's panic spiked as his fist grasped empty air. He looked up, just in time to see Kalan's silhouette disappear into the shadows.

His eyes met Lambda's. Without any hesitation, the two of them ran in after him.

They didn't have to go far. A terrified yelp pierced the air, followed by a monstrous roar. They burst into a clearing, only to see Kalan cornered by a towering, hideous beast.

It was of the likes that the king had never seen before- almost like an oversized boar. It had tusks, and a huge, tank-like body, covered in spiny growths that looked far too painful to be natural. Its eyes glowed red in the darkness.

"What on earth-" Richard began.

"Fodra's eleth," Lambda spat. A luminescent film of eleth coated his hands. "It seems that we didn't find them all the last time."

Before Richard could stop him, Lambda threw himself into the fray. A shield of purple light sprung around Kalan just as the monster lunged. The monster wheeled about, confused, and Lambda attacked.

The monster was easily five times his own height. Yet, Lambda darted in and out like a wasp. Bright bursts of light flashed from his hands, leaving scorch marks along the creature's hide.

But without a host, and so soon after his ordeal with Kalan, Lambda looked weaker than usual. His form was flickering, and his movements started to slow. It wouldn't be long before Lambda would be too tired to fight any longer, forced into a dormant state- or worse.

"Kalan!" Richard yelled, trying to get the young man's attention. But Kalan remained crouched in a corner, transfixed by the battle.

The monster lashed out with his head, slamming Lambda's form into a tree behind the boy. Lambda cried out, crumpling to the ground. He struggled to rise, but the monster was too close-

Richard drew his sword and charged, aiming his strike at the monster's flank. His sword bounced off, the beast's hide thick as armor.

The monster squealed. It turned to him, glowing eyes blazing. He had succeeded in distracting it, but now he was trapped.

He spared a glance at the other two. Lambda was struggling to get back on his feet. Kalan's eyes were wide and he remained curled up on the ground.

"Run!" Richard managed to yell, before the monster lunged at him.

It was too fast to dodge, too powerful to block. Richard lifted his blade-

Then its tusks struck a purple wall. Lambda appeared beside him, arms outstretched and brows furrowed in intense concentration. His form was flickering more rapidly than before.

"Lambda-"

"You will not die here," Lambda snarled. "You have people- and a kingdom- to protect."

Richard gaped, words failing him. There were cracks in Lambda's shield, and his legs were trembling. He was far too tired to keep on fighting like this.

"Richard." Lambda shot him a meaningful glance.

There was a lump in Richard's throat. "I cannot ask that of you."

"No more than what I ask of you," Lambda replied. "After everything- are you still afraid?"

Richard's grip on his sword tightened. Once, he would have rejected the idea, even with a monster bearing down on them. But now, as he faced danger with his friend by his side, his answer was immediate.

"No."

Lambda regarded him with a faint smirk. "If you betray me again, I  _will_  kill you."

Despite everything, he couldn't help but let out a short, tiny laugh. Then, resting a hand on Lambda's shoulders, he fixed his gaze on the enemy before them, his smile splitting into a smirk.

"Let's show this upstart what a  _real_  monster looks like."


	7. Chapter 7

Long ago, Richard remembered dying.

He remembered a blade slashing through his back. Pain seeped through his every thought and weakness crippled his limbs. Then darkness, darkness,  _darkness._

Something had stirred within that darkness. A power so deep and ancient that he trembled at its weight. Within that shadow, amidst his pain, he felt something familiar. A loneliness and despair that tugged at his heart.

Back then, when he accepted Lambda's power, it was the salvation he dreamed of. For the first time in his life, Richard didn't feel weak. Didn't feel powerless. Didn't feel alone.

It drowned him in a nightmare, one that he never wanted to wake from. Because when he was  _himself_ again, it had tainted his soul.

For years, Richard shuddered at the thought of ever touching that power again. He feared losing control, of becoming his worst self. Of damning Lambda to share his fate.

But now, he didn't hesitate; didn't resist. Lambda's power surged through him, just as before. Feelings and thoughts that weren't his own rushed through him. But unlike the cold, pained darkness he remembered, there was a gentle light, ghosting over him like a feather. Leaving him intact.

"Lambda?"

Something stirred in his mind, a presence that was familiar but not. Warm, instead of the icy anger that had spurred them on.

Richard opened his eyes.

The monster slammed its head against the shield Lambda had constructed, shattering it with a single blow. It bore down on Richard, but its movement was sluggish. Time slowed around him, and suddenly he was aware of a dozen openings where there were none before.

It was nothing like he remembered, being taken over by Lambda. His body was his own, but it was different- cocooned by a soft, warm light. There was a sensation of someone beside him, holding his hand.

They moved, slicing the approaching tusk clean off the monster. It roared in confusion, rearing back. It backed away, pacing slowly around him, red eyes watching with caution.

"It's not giving up."

 _"Of course not."_ Lambda's voice resounded in his mind. _"By challenging it, you've enraged it. It sees you now as something it must destroy."_

"So much for a peaceful solution."

Lambda snorted.  _"You knew there wouldn't be one. It's out for blood."_

The monster charged. He moved to block its good tusk- but the weight of the blow shattered his sword. Plowing through, the beast ran into him, tusk sinking into his shoulder.

There was blood, pain... but he managed to get his hands around the monster's snout. Digging his nails into the beast's hide, he pushed it away. It hurt, but he could feel Lambda's power knitting his tendons together and repairing his arm.

"King Richard!"

He glanced to Kalan. The boy hid in the brush, hands raised to his mouth, eyes wide.

The monster noticed him now. It growled, taking a step towards the boy. Kalan pressed himself against a tree; nowhere to run.

The shattered remains of his sword lay useless on the ground.

 _"Richard!"_ Lambda called.

"I know!"

He broke out in a run and leaped at the creature with his bare hands. Lambda's power coated them with a burning light. He struck, knocking the monster away from Kalan.

"Get away!" he yelled.

He shoved the boy behind him, but the beast was already shaking off his blow. It reared back to face him, the clawed scorch mark glistening on the side of his face. Its eyes burned brighter.

Richard grit his teeth. Kalan and Lambda were counting on him, but at this rate- he was barely keeping himself safe.

The monster pawed at the earth, lowered its head-

"Watch out!"

Richard's heart skipped a beat at the voice. A crashing wave of eleth flashed through the darkness. It struck the monster's side, and while it didn't leave a scratch, the force of the blow pushed the beast back.

Richard grinned. It was hard to tell if the elation he felt was his, or Lambda's.

Asbel charged into the clearing, his sword swinging in a graceful arc, catching the monster's tusk as it swung its head towards him. The swordsman struggled under the weight, but he didn't give an inch. Then, fireworks of bright eleth crashed at the monster's feet, catching it off guard. It reeled backwards, shaking the light out of its eyes.

Sophie leaped out from behind her father. Eleth shimmered at her fingertips, a light frown on her face. The monster was cornered, but it did not flee.

 _"Hmph."_ Lambda sounded miffed, but there was no disguising the undercurrent of relief that ran through him.

"Richard, are you alright?" Asbel called over.

"Barely!" Richard answered. "Your timing is impeccable as ever, Asbel."

"And Lambda?" Sophie asked.

Of course she could sense the creature within him. But instead of the heavy tension he expected, Lambda's presence was light. Happy, even.

"He's alright," Richard replied. "But I think we have more important things to worry about for now."

"Understood." Asbel fixed his gaze on the monster. "Okay, Sophie and I will distract him. Richard-"

"We'll finish him," Richard affirmed, flexing his hands.

The redhead flashed him a grin, then ran headlong towards the monster. Surprised, it turned towards him. Sophie started channeling an arte, flickering lights bursting around the creature. It roared in pain and confusion.

"Richard, now!" Asbel yelled.

Richard breathed. Eleth poured into his hands, his feet, drowning out the sound of the forest around them. Through it all, he felt someone brushing against his soul; calming his fears. Holding on to the part of him that was  _him_. He wasn't consumed by the rush of emotions that beat through his heart; not torn asunder by his manic thoughts. They were alright. No, more than alright-

Together, they were  _free._

They leaped into the air, bellowing. By the time the monster noticed, they were already behind and above. Eleth, light and pure, surged through them- no longer a whirlpool of chaos. It was a current that they both controlled,  _together._

They roared, slammed their fist down into the monster. The eleth burst on impact, exploding into light and fire. The beast let out an unearthly wail, and then it fell with a heavy thud.

The movement tossed them through the air. When Richard shook the stars out of his eyes, he was flat on the ground, some distance away. There was soft earth under his hands, the cool night breeze brushing against his cheek. The burning sensation of Lambda's power had receded, but there was still a warmth snuggled within his chest.

"Did we do it?" Richard asked breathlessly.

He pulled himself to his knees. The monster was silent, collapsed where it fell. Smoke rose from its fur, and its red eyes- once so piercing- were now dull.

_"It appears so. Despite its power, it was no match for we two, together."_

The forest was quiet now that the battle was over. Richard sighed. His body ached, but a quick glance over revealed that he still looked human enough. He had thrown himself into the battle, had let go of his inhibitions- but he hadn't lost who he was. Not like before.

A chuckle bubbled to his lips. "It's a blessing we didn't destroy the world in the process."

Lambda's amusement tickled him _. "Indeed."_

Richard smiled.

"Hey."

Asbel stood by his side, hand held out. He was just as Richard remembered- red hair, swept messily to one side, and clear blue eyes that stared into his soul. Sophie stood next to him, hovering protectively by her father's side.

Gratefully, Richard clasped the proffered hand, and his friend pulled him up.

"Thank you for your help, Asbel, Sophie." Richard couldn't help but smile.

"It was nothing," Asbel replied. "When we got Frederic's message, we came as soon as we could. Good thing, too. Looks like that one was the straggler that got away from us earlier."

"You fought more of these things?" Richard asked, incredulous. Fighting the monster had taken so much out of him. He could only imagine how weary Asbel and Sophie must have been, coming to their aid.

"We had soldiers to help," Sophie explained. She studied Richard, the frown on her face deepening. "But, are you two alright?" she asked, cautious and hesitant. "You aren't- you don't-"

"I don't feel like taking over the core." Richard managed a small smile.

"And Lambda?" Asbel asked, his voice quiet and stern. Richard hesitated, unsure how to explain what had occurred in the lord's absence.

He heard a soft snort in his mind. As if on cue, Lambda's warmth uncurled from his soul. A stream of eleth left his body, reforming into a now-familiar façade beside him.

"I had hoped you would take your time," Lambda replied, face impassive. "I, for one, appreciated the lack of curry every dinner."

Asbel and Sophie's faces broke into relieved smiles. Lambda could scarce react when his family pulled him close; buried him in a hug.

Then Sophie held Lambda at arm's length and stared suspiciously at him. "Did you take care of the garden?"

Lambda bristled. "What do you take me for?"

Richard chuckled as Sophie and Lambda began arguing over her sopherias. He almost didn't notice Asbel sneaking past them until his friend reached his side.

"Thank you," Asbel said. "You always did understand him best."

Richard shrugged. "He helped me just as much as I helped him."

"Just like you always wanted to." The redhead smiled.

Richard paused. With a smile of his own, he nodded. "Just like I always wanted to."

"So tell me, what brings you to Lhant, Richard?" Asbel asked.

The king paused. Looking at Asbel now, at everything that had happened over the past few days, he wasn't sure what to say. He couldn't imagine how he had tried to run away from his duty.

_His duty…_

A quick scan of his surroundings showed that the clearing was empty- save for Kalan, peering furtively out from behind the brush. Asbel and Sophie hadn't noticed him, but the boy hadn't ran. Yet, the moment Richard met his eyes, he stiffened.

Hesitantly, Richard stepped away from his friends and approached him.

"It's alright now," he managed, holding out a hand.

He wondered how it must have looked. Kalan hated him for destroying his family, his home- and now, Richard had revealed himself to be just as monstrous as he imagined him to be.

The boy stepped out from the bushes. He didn't take Richard's hand.

"Why?" he asked, voice hard. He fixed his gaze on the king. "Why did you save me?"

A dozen answers ran through Richard's head.  _Because you were in danger. Because it was right._ But none of them felt accurate. Richard was no hero, no martyr.

"I had to," he answered.

Kalan frowned.

Richard nodded and gestured to the boy. "Walk with me."

* * *

They trailed behind in silence. Kalan matched his stride, but kept his gaze away from Richard. Asbel, Lambda and Sophie walked up ahead. The lord had picked up that Richard wanted private words with the young man, and ushered his wards ahead.

Which left Richard alone with the boy whose life he destroyed.

"Do you still plan to kill me?" Richard asked, soft enough that Asbel wouldn't hear.

He wasn't sure if Kalan would respond. The boy had been silent thus far, hands clasped tightly together in front of him. "I don't know."

"I killed your family and destroyed your home. It's only natural to think of me as your enemy." Richard said, his throat tight."What Lambda and I did… was unforgivable."

"My mom and dad- my friends-" Kalan's lip trembled. His eyes were glistening. "When the monsters came, I didn't know what they were, or why they came, but they tore my life apart. I didn't know what to do. I had nothing. And then I heard-" He took a shuddering breath. "I heard it was your fault."

Richard sighed. It wasn't something they could keep under wraps. "Nothing I say or do can ever make up for what I've done. But I can't afford to let you kill me. Not now."

"How can you say that?" Kalan's voice broke as he cried. "What about justice? What about everyone you've killed?"

Up ahead, Asbel had paused, looking back to see what the commotion was about. Lambda peered back at them, a small frown on his face. Richard shook his head, waved them onwards.

In a soft voice, Kalan asked, "Why do you even care about me, anyway?"

Richard swallowed. Hesitantly, he answered, "Because Lambda told me we're the same."

Kalan's demeanor broke. The defiance in his eyes dimmed, his head drooping. "I hated you. Killing you gave me purpose. I didn't care if it was wrong, or if I'd die. I just wanted-"

"The pain to stop."

Kalan glanced at him.

"Lambda and I... back then, we felt we had no choice." Richard lowered his head. "All my life, the threat of death loomed over every breath. I watched my father die, by my uncle's own hand. As for Lambda- you know his past as well as I do."

"So you tried to destroy the world…?"

Richard nodded. "Living was too painful," he murmured, "and we hated this world. All we could do was run away. It didn't matter how many people we hurt in the process." He smiled sadly. "Sounds familiar, doesn't it?"

"It's not funny."

"No," Richard agreed. He drew in a deep breath. "Long ago I wanted to protect this world so that everyone could live in peace. But I lost that desire in my own suffering, and when Lambda woke within me-"

"It changed the both of you." Kalan looked miserable. He rubbed his arms. "When Lambda was with me- it felt horrible. The worst things I've ever wanted to do- I could finally act on them. But I hurt Lambda, even though he just wanted to  _help_." His shoulders slumped, trembling. Glancing back at Richard, he asked, "Why was it different for you? When you fought that monster?"

Richard flexed his fingers. Even now, he could remember the warmth of Lambda's protective flame around his hands. Remember his friend, wrapped around his soul.

"We wanted to help each other. To move past our pain, rather than drown in it. He was my anchor, and I was his."

Kalan flinched, scuffed his feet against the ground. "I should hate the both of you."

"But you don't?"

"I-I don't know." The boy frowned. "Both of you destroyed my entire life, but Lambda tried to help. He said you'd want to help me, too." The words were quiet, but there was no doubt in Kalan's eyes. "Will they kill me for what I've done? The knights?"

Richard paused. The law of Windor was clear. "Do you want to die, Kalan?" the king asked, voice gentle.

The boy flinched, fingers curling into fists. "I have no reason to stay alive apart from killing you. But," he whispered, blinking eyes that looked wet, "I don't want to die."

They walked in silence. Richard took in the rolling hills, still beautiful in the glow of the moonlight. It was peaceful here, serene. Just like in his dreams.

"I can't bring your family back. I can't blame you for wanting me dead. But I don't want to die either." He tilted his head at Kalan's perplexed expression. "I want to live, to make Windor- nay, the world- a peaceful place where nobody else has to suffer."

"That's impossible," Kalan murmured.

"Perhaps." Richard halted. "Perhaps there's no way for me to save everyone. But I will try, nonetheless. And while I cannot undo all the wrongs I have done to you, let me at least try to give you something to live for."

He turned to the boy and held out a hand. "Help me, Kalan. Help me achieve a world where nobody would ever have to suffer your fate again."

Kalan's eyes widened. The boy caught himself gaping, and quickly lowered his head once more. "You're not afraid I'll kill you again?"

"You tried to kill me," Richard corrected him with a small smile. "And should you attack me again, I'd be ready for it."

"What if- what if I say no?"

Richard shrugged, putting down his hand. "Then you're free to go. You didn't actually kill me, and your reasons were valid. As king, I pardon you for any past transgressions."

Softly, Kalan asked, "Why?"

Richard paused. Up ahead, Asbel was saying something to Sophie, with Lambda riding on his shoulders. The king smiled softly.

"Because I believe in second chances."

Slowly, the lights of Lhant appeared along the horizon, through the shadowy brush. Dawn was beginning to streak the sky with light hues of pink and orange, chasing away the darkness of the night.

Kalan met Richard's gaze. Looked far too small and far too young, for all he had to face. Richard could see himself reflected through those gray eyes. Who he had been, once.

"Thank you... for your offer," Kalan managed hesitantly. "But I- I can't. Not now." Furtively, he added, "But maybe..."

"Some day," Richard agreed.

Kalan nodded. "Y-you weren't the monster I expected," he murmured. He swallowed, then met Richard's eyes. "I hope you fulfill your wish, King Richard."

"And I wish you peace, Kalan," Richard replied.

Kalan smiled then- a small one. He bowed low, then with a last backward glance, the boy ran off into the night, swallowed up by the shadows once more.

Richard hoped it wouldn't be the last time they met.

He didn't know how long he stood there, just him on the open fields under the fading moon. After some time, he heard footsteps behind him. Quietly, Lambda stopped beside him, staring off where Kalan ran.

"Do you think he will be alright?" Richard asked.

"He is strong. Like you."

"I don't feel strong," he admitted.

"It was you who held us together, who saved Kalan and I both." Lambda arched an eyebrow. "You did well."

Richard glanced at his friend. "I had help."

Lambda shook his head. "What you did was your own will. I merely aided you." He smirked. "You make a fine king, Richard."

He smiled. It surprised him how easy it was. "Thank you, Lambda."

His friend's soft huff was answer enough.


	8. Epilogue

It was almost time for him to leave.

The week he spent in Lhant had been... eventful, to say the least. With a smile, Richard gathered up the last of his documents and slid them into his pack. He had spent the last few days drafting speeches and writing up plans and proposals for the future of Windor. It was strange- he had come to Lhant full of worry and anxiety. Yet in a few short days, all of that had been dispelled.

"It seems you are prepared."

He looked up at the voice. Lambda leaned against the doorframe, watching impassively.

"I'm only sorry I'm leaving so soon. I would have enjoyed spending more time with everyone." Richard sighed, setting his pack atop the bed. He gestured Lambda in.

Now back in his body, the humanoid looked no worse for wear. He settled down next to his pack, his feet dangling off the edge of the bed. "You could stay longer," he suggested.

"And where would that leave Windor?" Richard chuckled. "No, I've been gone long enough. Dalen can hold off the nobility for only so many days."

"That pack of wolves will be after your head." Lambda stared sternly at him. "Would you be alright on your own?"

"Are you offering to join me?" A smile curled on his lips.

"It would not do if you were unduly hurt."

He laughed. "I'll be fine, Lambda. Besides," he added, "don't you have friends you want to protect here, too?"

Lambda tilted his head, but there was a slight flush on his usually pale cheeks. "Perhaps," he acquiesced. "But we've never been friends- not in the same way as you are with Protos Heis and Asbel."

Richard blinked. "No, I suppose not," he agreed. "But after what we've been through together- does it matter?"

Lambda snorted. "Do you forget I tried to kill you once?"

"Must be because you failed," Richard teased. "What a strange conundrum we are." He grinned, sitting down next to Lambda. The humanoid didn't smile, but his eyes softened slightly.

Just a few days ago, there had only been a cold silence between them. One caused by the rift between them, the words they had never said. They had been two minds that shared the same body, two souls wholly alike. But they never understood each other. Not like they did now.

"When I came to Lhant, I didn't expect you to save me again."

"I did nothing of the sort," Lambda muttered.

"You reminded me of who I was," Richard answered, "who I can be, again."

"Perhaps you should look in a mirror more often," Lambda retorted, his face straight.

Richard laughed, tilting his head. "I'm serious! I owe you. Far more than I can ever express."

Lambda's eyes crinkled. "The feeling is mutual. I will miss you."

"Likewise." The sun was setting, and he could hear the carriage drawing up to the manor's door. It was time to leave- far too soon, Richard thought briefly; just when he finally managed to meet Lambda for real. Talk to him, for real.

Lambda didn't say a word. Instead, he picked up Richard's pack and held it out towards the king.

"The next time I visit, we'll climb Lhant Hill," Richard suggested. "With Asbel, and Sophie."

The humanoid arched an eyebrow. "For what purpose?"

"Well," Richard mused, "it's high time you joined our friendship pact, wouldn't you say?"

"A foolish notion."

Richard chuckled, taking his pack. "You'll love it. We'll tour Windor, and I can show you all the wondrous jewels of my country."

Lambda merely snorted. But just before Richard turned to leave, he reached out and grasped his sleeve. For a moment, Richard was surprised- at the uncharacteristic action, and the depth of seriousness in Lambda's red eyes.

"Richard... if those wolves harm you, or pose any manner of threat-"

"I'll find you."

Lambda nodded. A ghost of a smile broke on his face. "We'll make sure there'd be hell to pay."

Richard smirked. "That's a promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this whole fic and I hoped you enjoyed it. Much thanks to the persistent encouragement (and a lot of effort trimming my dashes) of my betas Daidairo and Azureheavens, whom without this fic would probably have been left in the dark forever :D


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